> If what I'm getting is just a synthetic, semi-random découpé, then that is lost.
It certainly comes down to perception, interpretation, and a blind assumption though, right? Before generative AI, the blind assumption was that some human made a piece of art. That might be changing now, but if you didn't know (and couldn't know) a piece was artificial, feelings may still be evoked and you might still infer some meaning from it.
With that said, not all art need be about human connection. I still enjoy mindless dubstep music on occasion despite not caring one bit about the artist or any meaning behind it (if any even exists beyond "it sounds cool"). The only value there is my enjoyment of it, but then again, I think enjoyment is the most valuable aspect of any piece.
It certainly comes down to perception, interpretation, and a blind assumption though, right? Before generative AI, the blind assumption was that some human made a piece of art. That might be changing now, but if you didn't know (and couldn't know) a piece was artificial, feelings may still be evoked and you might still infer some meaning from it.
With that said, not all art need be about human connection. I still enjoy mindless dubstep music on occasion despite not caring one bit about the artist or any meaning behind it (if any even exists beyond "it sounds cool"). The only value there is my enjoyment of it, but then again, I think enjoyment is the most valuable aspect of any piece.